World On Fire
by DieselFire
Summary: Sawyer & Ana's marriage is on the rocks…Kate's involvement in the whole mess only makes things worse...R&R! R for later chappies
1. The Truth

After the 815 survivors were rescued from the island, Kate Austen had somehow managed to avoid the charges that the marshal had arrested her for

_After the 815 survivors were rescued from the island, Kate Austen had somehow managed to avoid the charges that the marshal had arrested her for._

Roxana Ford knew what had happened before her mother even had a chance to slam the front door. Kate had—once again—done something deliberately to make her mother, Ana Lucia, cry, yet again.

Ana'd gone to the loft that Sawyer had kept after they'd gotten married, to have a one-on-one conversation with James, something that had been difficult to accomplish since they'd gone back to the real world.

"You're not going to see your dad this weekend, mija." Ana said, killing a shot of tequila and tonic, and a lemon wedge.

"What? Why? Mom, you can't do that!" Roxana

"Because I said so, that's why!" Ana barked in Spanish, "You wanna try for the weekend after that, too?"

"Whatever. I'm goin' to Grama's till you can fix whatever it is that's got such a stick up your ass." Roxana said, shoving things into her backpack as she stood to leave.

"You're grounded, young lady." Ana said on impulse.

"For WHAT?!"

"You don't talk to me like that and then expect me to allow you to go off to Abuela's house." Ana said, trying to remain patient.

"You know what? YOU SUCK! No wonder Papi left you!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Roxana. Your father left on his own, not because of anything I did or didn't do." Ana spoke slowly, calmly and rationally.

"Yeah? Is that why he's been staying at his loft for the last month? Because you didn't do any thing?" Roxana shouted back. "THAT'S why you and Daddy haven't said three words to each other since Sayid's wedding 3 months ago?!" Ana stopped dead in her tracks; she'd hoped Roxana would have been too busy to have noticed that her parents had stopped speaking to each other.

"That's none of your business, Roxana." Roxie rolled her eyes, realizing that if she wanted any sort of insight as to what was really going on with her parents, she'd wind up going to talk to Libby or Eko, though she'd probably have more luck with Libby; Eko would tell her that what went on between her parents wasn't her concern and she shouldn't try to make it such.

_Sayid's wedding had been quite an eventful night—right down to her parents winding up in a screaming match right there at the reception hall. Ana wasted no time acting as if nothing had happened. She simply ignored Sawyer and brushed off any advances he may have made in their bedroom._

"And they say **I'm **the one that needs therapy," Roxie said before walking out of the house, letting the door slam behind her.

Ana sat down at the kitchen table, drink in hand. She still loved James, that much she was sure of. She knew that if she was going to salvage her marriage, she'd have to act soon.


	2. BUSTED!

Chapter Two: BUSTED

**Chapter Two:** BUSTED!

**A/N: Okay, have no fear…Roxana's gettin' her ass whooped this chapter!**

In the short time it took her to deviate from her original destination, Captain Cortez had sent out a patrol car to pick her up, in addition to the one that was waiting at Captain Cortez's place of residence. The patrol car at the residence caught up with her first, and before she could form the words to curse in Spanish at the officer, she'd been cuffed and placed in the back of the squad car.

"This how you treat family these days, 'Guela?" Roxie asked upon being shoved down into a chair by her uniformed escort.

"Depends. Did you really think that I'd let you get away scot-free with making your mother cry, _mijita_?' Roxana scoffed at her grandmother's allegation.

"And if it wasn't _me_ that made her cry?" Roxie asked, keeping her tone light.

"What are you talking around, Roxana?" Roxana almost laughed at the fact that her grandmother—a captain of the LAPD—didn't know what the rest of the world knew but was seemingly powerless to stop.

"What if it was my father?"

"What does James have to do with this, _mija_?" Theresa motioned for the officer who'd remained in her office to leave. "Roxana, if he's hitting your mother—"

"No, no. It's nothing like that." She answered, looking her grandmother in the eye. "You remember a woman named Katherine Austen?"

"Dr. Sheppard's wife? ¿Sí, qué pasó?"

"I think she's…involved. With my dad."

"What d'you mean, involved?" Theresa pulled a pen and a pad of paper from her desk.

"I mean, I think he's seein' her," Roxie said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean, Daddy's been stayin at his loft across town for a few weeks now…"

"But other than that you have nothing solid to base this on?" Roxana nodded. "Well, either way, even if you had something to base it on, I still have to assign some sort of punishment."

"Awww, 'Guela!"

"Don't you _'Guela_ me, young lady! You're gonna do whatever Mrs. Sheppard needs help with for a while, I'll let you know when you're off punishment." Roxana groaned and slumped back in her chair.

"You doin' this 'cause you're my gramma or 'cause Mami told you to?"

"Your mother doesn't tell me what to do, Roxana."

"So what, you're makin' me play Kate's little helper just 'cause you know I hate her guts?"

"You barely know Mrs. Sheppard, Roxana."

"Same difference! I don't know her and I don't WANNA know her."

"Roxana, do you WANT me to make it longer?"

"She's not lettin' me see him this weekend." Roxana said quietly.

"'s that what all this is about?" Roxana shrugged her shoulders slightly, refusing to meet Theresa's eyes. "Mira, you can't cause problems for your mother because James isn't around."

"He was ALWAYS around before the Sheppards decided to separate. Now all he ever does is spend time with Kate!" Roxana snapped. "Last I checked, **I** was his family, not her." Three days later, Roxana was grudgingly doing whatever Kate Austen-Sheppard told her to do. Once Roxana left the Ford house, Ana debated—for all of about 30 seconds—whether she should go have a second go at talking to Sawyer.


	3. I Still Love You

Chapter Three: I Still Love You

**Chapter Three:** I Still Love You

Ana arrived at the warehouse that had been turned into multiple lofts, her heart in her throat. She sat in her car, contemplating the possible outcomes of whatever she did next. There were things she missed about him—some more than others, but she missed them just the same.

She missed he touched her; the way he'd look at her and it'd make her weak in the knees.

She missed the way he always knew just what to say to make her laugh, the way he made her feel safe—safer than she'd felt with anyone else. At one point she'd been able to tell him anything—she'd been able to confide her heart an soul to. Until now. Ana missed the way he looked at her, the way his hair felt in her hands in their most intimate moments, the power of his kiss in those moments.

Her world had gone significantly darker, the colors monotonous. In and of itself, James' smile had been like the sun on her worst days. Her nights had been too quiet, and the mornings after deafeningly silent. She missed the way he knew what to say, to make her laugh hardest

The smell of her skin lingered on his clothes.

Big deal.

So he'd found a reason to stay alive.

Big deal.

He'd tried a little harder to see the other side; he'd spent too many sleepless nights talking to himself, trying to rationalise what had happened between him and Ana Lucia.

Too many sleepless nights trying to find the meaning of his life now—his life without Ana Lucia. He didn't know who to be anymore sometimes.

What was he looking for? He didn't have the answer but he knew he wanted more than to turn into a bitter old man. How was he going to make it right?

Would he find salvation in the arms of love? Would that love stop him searching? Would love ever really be enough? He didn't want a simple thing.

_This could be the first day of his life—the rest of his life…_

_The first time he really felt alive…_

_The first time he broke the chains…_

_The first time he walked away from pain._

But at the center of that life was Ana Lucia—

…the dream he didn't know he'd dreamt;

…the wish he couldn't remember making;

…the fantasy he didn't remember having.

…the hope he hadn't had before;

She was strong, faithful; she was counting on a new beginning, a reason to live—a reason he sought as well.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Opening it, he revealed to himself a semi-disheveled Ana…an Ana who was on the verge of either a mental breakdown or tears, James couldn't tell which.

"James, I…I can't do this anymore. I can't keep throwing you out and then letting you back in…" Ana said before her impulses took over and she pulled him into a full-on kiss. For the one split second she pulled away, she whispered against his lips, "I still love you, James."

"Ana…" that was the only word that escaped his lips before she reclaimed them with her own.

"Why was she here?" Ana asked, despite not wanting to know.

"Because she knew you weren't." Sawyer answered remorse filling his voice. He could see the tears forming in Ana's eyes.

"Did you call her?" Ana struggled to keep her voice steady, though the tears were clear in her voice.

"I wouldn't do that to you, Chiquita…" Sawyer said softly, pulling Ana to him. She pulled away and turned to look at him.

"You sure about that?" she asked, her voice in danger of breaking at any second as a single tear slid down her cheek.

"Ana. I want you to listen to me." Sawyer said, taking her face in his slightly calloused hands. "I love you. If I **wanted** Kate, I'd have Kate. But I'm **married** to you, aren't I?" he said firmly, his thumbs wiping the tears from her face.

"Then why does she keep HANGING all over you?" Sawyer almost laughed, but knew his wife's reactions well enough to know not to.

"Be…cause, she's a damn **attention whore**," Sawyer said, smirking, "Where've you been?"

"At home dealing with your brat." Ana snorted.

"Hey, now," Sawyer said, trying not to laugh. "She's yer brat, too, ya know." Ana shrugged, not particularly wanting to discuss Roxana at that particular moment.

"I like what you've done with the place, James…" Ana said, her eyes wandering over the décor that someone—she—had put together when she and James weren't clashing over it.

"'s been a while since i trusted someone else's taste, muchacha." Sawyer said, grinning at her deviously.

"Like you trusted mine?" Ana snapped sarcastically.


	4. He Loves Her He Loves You Not

Chapter Four: He Loves Her (He Loves You Not)

**Chapter Four:** He Loves Her (He Loves You Not)

The next morning found Captain Teresa Cortez in her office, opposite one Katherine Austen Sheppard.

"D'you know why I asked you here, Mrs. Sheppard?" Kate smirked at her.

"If you'd asked me that a decade and a half ago, I'd have said, maybe, maybe not," Kate answered, her voice almost too confident in its tone.

"I'll make this simple, Mrs. Sheppard." Teresa said. "You come near my daughter or her husband again, I'll find something to charge you with so you rot in prison."

"Yeah right, your power only goes so far…" Kate retorted.

"Miss Austen, you've got more than just that murder charge on your rap sheet." Teresa stated calmly.

"We'll see how my lawyer responds to your blackmail," Kate said, walking up to her, only inches away.

Ana's meeting with Sawyer resulted in its usual fighting, but was blissfully uninterrupted by a specific doctor's wife. She'd stayed the night with him, trusting her daughter not to do anything insane.

That night, they'd found each other again, really found each other. It had been hard and slow, fast and agonizingly drawn out, and in the end, slow and agonizingly sweet, taking their time reacquainting themselves with the other's body—unspoken promises expressed everytime their lips met.

Ana'd held so tightly to him, as if afraid he'd slip away from her again, leaving little—if any—space between their bodies.

"You lay a hand on my granddaughter, or even threaten to again, my blackmail will be the least of your problems." Captain Cortez ground out, enunciating every word.

"She needs a hard hand, maybe turn her attitude around. Then again she is Ana's brat." Kate said, tempted to laugh at a joke only she thought was funny.

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Mrs. Sheppard...my son in law loves his daughter. I doubt he'd see things your way if he were to find out about your manhandling his child." Captain Cortez said, trying to keep her anger in check. "Regardless of whether there is physical evidence, **assault charges can still be filed.**"

"I think Sawyer would agree with me...I doubt he'd think I hurt his kid."

"So you think he'd actually call his own daughter a liar? That girl has her father wrapped so tightly around her little finger he'd give his life for her." Captain Cortez found Kate's naïveté pathetic.

"We'll just have to see then who he believes." Kate said, her confidence unwavering.

Ana kissed Sawyer's lips softly as she curled as close as she could to him, craving the heat of his body despite the duvet that had somehow managed to survive the hurricane that had been their lovemaking the previous night.

She knew Sawyer loved her, just as he knew that Ana-Lucia loved him. They simply needed to remind each other of that fact. She felt him stir against her and realised just how _long_ it had been since she'd been in this bed, and at the same time, how good it felt to be back in this bed—the bed where he'd proposed to her. She rolled away from him, despite his growled protests, and straddled his hips, leaning down to kiss his lips as her hands instinctively surged to his hair.

"G'mornin', Cowboy…" she sing-songed, pulling him out of his almost-awake-but-still-half-asleep daze. The sound of her voice seemed to be a wake-up call to him as their lips met again, in a fervently heated kiss.

"How would it look to your parole officer if it were revealed that you were repeatedly coming onto the husband of a police officer?" Teresa said, trying to get under Kate Austen-Sheppard's skin.

"Can't believe you would do something like that. You conniving bitch." Kate snarled, glaring at Teresa.

"What's really going on here, Mrs. Sheppard? You couldn't have James where ever it was that your plane crashed, so you decided to settle for the next best thing?" Teresa said, mentally telling herself it was time for the gloves to come off. "It's a bit petty after a decade and a half to decide to go after his family, isn't it?"

"He never wanted her, he says he loves her but I know different." Kate said, her arrogance nauseating Captain Cortez. "He'll be with me sooner or later."

"If any one winds up dead because of this, Kate, I will personally read you your rights."

"Oh come now, I'm sure Ana'll back down easily...sure it won't come to those extremes." Kate said, smiling at her vindictively.

"That includes my granddaughter and your husband. Kidnapping carries a hefty prison sentence." Teresa threatened, knowing it wouldn't do much.

"Don't worry officer, I don't plan to touch a hair on her pretty little head, much less take the little witch." Kate said before laughing like the crazy person they'd all feared she truly was under the girl-next-door persona she put off.

"What would it take to get you to leave them alone, Mrs. Sheppard?" Teresa questioned, "Why, for that matter, are you so unhappy with a man who can give you anything you want?"

"You know what I want. I want sawyer. I want Ana gone." Kate said, almost foaming at the mouth.

"That's never going to happen, Mrs. Sheppard."

"Out of the picture… if she leaves, really leaves him alone, he'll want me."

"Really, is that why he keeps going back to her?" Theresa asked.

"He dosen't really want her! I'll prove it to him." Kate said, fisting her hands at her sides.

"They've been together since the year and a half they spent on the island." Teresa said confidently. "You're in over your head."

"You know this is none of your business. But just so you know...your daughter won't have a husband for very long." Kate said snidely.

"Stay away from my family, Mrs. Sheppard. This won't end well for you if you keep it up." Teresa said, growing tired of Kate's delusions.

"I don't want anything to do with your family, all I want is Sawyer." Kate insisted, suddenly eerily calm.

"He's my daughter's husband. He IS family." Teresa's voice was steady, firm.

"Not for long." Kate muttered to herself.

"_Stalking_ is illegal in all 50 states, Mrs. Sheppard." Teresa admonished. "You deprive my granddaughter of her father, I'll see to it you **NEVER** get out of prison."

"It isn't stalking when he let's me in, now is it?" Kate countered.

"He loves my daughter. Ana loves him. He won't let you in again." Teresa said, tempted to slap Kate back in to reality.

"Yeah, ok. Good day Captain." Kate snorted.


	5. Promise Me

**Chapter Five:** Promise Me?

As soon as Kate left Captain Cortez's office, Teresa was deeply disturbed, though she had a slight inkling what she must do. She picked up the phone and dialed the number to her daughter's cell phone.

"You want him to WHAT?!" Ana-Lucia roared. She couldn't believe what she was hearing from her mother's mouth. "You **CANNOT** be serious, Mom!"

"Mija, for my sake and your personal safety, as well as that of Roxana, I'm telling you, this is our only option!"

"I'll do it." Sawyer said, followed by Ana storming out of the room.

"Ana," Sawyer called after her as she shoved her way through the department building. "Ana, baby, wait a minute."

"Why the hell would you even consider giving Kate Austen what she wants?!" Ana was nearly shouting. "Once she gets what she wants, I'll never see you again…" Sawyer silenced her further protests, kissing her, promising her things he couldn't find the words for, reminding Ana that it was her that he loved.

"Nobody done told me what to do an' when ta do it, 'cept in prison," Sawyer said as Ana's chest heaved with every inhalation. "An' last I checked, I wasn't in prison, so _**Freckles**_ ain't gon' tell me what to do with my time."

"James, you _saw_ what she did to Jack on that island, what makes you think she won't be able to pull the same shit with you?" Ana seethed, continuing away from the police precinct. "I mean, sure, she got him to quit drinking and all but I swear, he's different. And that's what scares me. The thought that I could lose you again…for good this time."

Ana knew Sawyer loved her, but she'd seen people like Kate Austen before; knew what they were capable of doing. The only thing Ana _wasn't_ sure about was to what extremes Kate would go to in order to get what she wanted.

"Ana, I want you to look me in the eye and listen to me." Sawyer said, placing his hands on her shoulders and making sure they were eyelevel with each other. "I love you, regardless of all the fighting we do. Why d'you think we've stuck together for so long?"

"'Cause you **claim** I'm a good lay." Ana said, smiling deviously. "But who knows, really. Maybe you enjoy being insulted, cowboy." She said, kissing him gently.

"'m not gonna give her **all** she's goin' for, Chica," Sawyer said, "'s not like yer gonna have to get used to an empty bed or somethin'." Ana pouted at him.

"You promise?" Ana asked, allowing him to pull her against his chest, holding her against him.

"I've felt your wrath a few more times than I'd like to remember, Muchacha," Sawyer said against Ana Lucia's hair line. "So I'm not about to chance experiencin' what you'd do to me for sleepin' with another woman."

"Promise me something, Cowboy?"

"Hmm?"

"Promise you won't break that promise about Kate?"

"You gonna promise me somethin' if I **break** that promise?" Sawyer asked.

"What?"

"Kill me if I break it?"

"Okay, cowboy…" Ana said, "'s that supposed to be a _yes_?"

"You know it, Muchacha."


	6. Always?

**Chapter Six:** Always?

Back at the Cortez home, Ana was slowly losing her cool. She picked up the phone and dialed James' cell, emotionally unstable.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up…please…" She muttered under her breath.

"Hey muchacha…what's up baby?"

"D'you **have** t'do this, James? I mean, **really**?

"What's wrong…we both agreed to it…"

"'s not the point, cowboy…" Ana said sadly. "I mean, are we gonna be okay when this is over?"

"We're gonna be okay, Ana." Sawyer sighed. "Always. Forever."

"I love you…" Ana said softly, snifling as a tear slid down her face.

"Don' cry baby… please don't. I love you too."

"We _just_ got our marriage back off the ground…an' now I'm supposed to play the secretly heartbroken divorcee and NOT cry?" Ana snapped at him.

"Ana…damnit…you think I wanna do this? Seriously…it's just as hard for me."

"I forget…you're the one who holds it all in while I haven't been able to control my emotions since Roxana was born…" Ana snorted, not wanting to laugh.

"You haven't been able to hold it in for 15 years hot lips…"

"What's that s'posed t' mean?" Ana retorted, a smile tugging at her lips.

"You know what it means…your bitchy one minute…happy the next…don't know what I'ma do wit you…" Sawyer teased.

"But you've loved me for a decade an' a half…an' now this…is the thing that scares the hell outta me…"

"I'm doing this for us…" Sawyer reminded her.

"I know…" Ana said, her voice threatening to break. "I know that, I do…"

"D'you trust me?"

"With my life…" Ana said, tears in her eyes.

"Then trust me when I say this…we're going to be ok…I love you, I'm not letting you go, not for anyone, we're going to tough this shit out, get rid of that leech…Do you understand me?" Sawyer said, firmly.

"I can't do this…know you're with her…an' look at your daughter every day…an' not see you…" Ana said.

"Sonofa…" Sawyer groaned. "You think it's gonna be a walk in the park for me? …damnit… I already want out…and it hasn't even started!"

"I know that…I do…I can't go the whole time an' never see you…"

"Oh, Ana…" Sawyer laughed, "you really thought just cause I was gonna have to pretend to be all mushy over that pariah…that I wasn't gonna sneak in thru your window when you were asleep?"

"You actually gonna do that, cowboy?"

"Yes, ma'am…" came Sawyer's drawled reply. "Promise…gonna have my wicked wicked way with you, señorita…This sneakin around bit sounds exciting…what ya wearin?" he asked, greedily.

"One of yer dress shirts…one of the ones that was still in the hamper…still smelled like you…'s all…" Ana said simply.

"Ah, god…dammit…" Sawyer groaned.

"Somethin' wrong, Jamie?" Ana asked innocently.

"Mr. I love Ana needs some attention…"

"'m sorry, baby…" Ana Lucia teased. "Coulda still been here with me…'n our bed…?"

"Shit, shit, shit…" Sawyer Ford cursed aloud. "Couldn't we just throw her over a damn bridge?!" he pouted. "I miss you…"

"Miss you, too, James…" Ana answered. "…'f you threw her off a bridge, 'd have t' make sure there was no witnesses, cowboy…"

"Like your mother wouldn't be fighting me over who got to push that damn witch off…" Sawyer retorted.

"Think Roxie'd beat you to the punch, baby…" Ana laughed.

"She'd make damn sure there were no witnesses… Now Roxie's a whole different story…gonna be a pain in Kate's ass…"

"Think she just might hate Kate Austen more than the three of us combined…" Ana snickered.

"Don' I know it…but she has to know…why we're doing this…" Sawyer suggested.

"You'd better keep that bitch's hands off of my daughter." Ana warned.

"Don' worry about that…touches one hair on her head…Doc won't have a wife to divorce." Sawyer said eerily.

"I call dibs on throwin' her off the bridge if she does." Ana joked.

"Now we're talkin'…" Sawyer laughed. " God…gonna have to put up with her shit…" he moaned.

"I _tried_ t' get my mom to let me off her…" Ana reminded him.

"How'd that go?"

"She said the shit I pulled before I hauled it to Sydney **and** killin' someone else wouldn't be worth my time in prison." Ana said simply.

"She's right…but I can bet my ass that she's wantin a piece of Kate herself."

"You gonna sneak in my window sometime soon, cowboy…?"

"Might wanna get ready, Muchacha…" Sawyer laughed. "I think I need a little attention…"

"Maybe t'night?" Ana asked hopefully.

"You bet your ass I'ma gonna make a house call tonight…"

"'s there anythin' special you wan'? Clothes-wise, maybe…?"

"That shirt your wearin babe…nothing else."

"Y' sure you don' wan' me naked in **our** bed, baby…?" Ana asked, teasing gently.

"Just my shirt…and not another stich of clothing…gonna open it up…like a present." Sawyer said, "Flat on your back…in my bed…now there's an image."

"You gonna make love t' me, baby?" Ana asked, knowing she might be adding to Sawyer's discomfort.

"All night…"

"Promise…?"

"Promise…I don' think you're gonna make it to work t'morrow, Rambina…"

"You gonna clear that one with my mama, baby?" Ana asked.

"I don't **need** permision to have my way with you…she'll just have to put someone else on your shift…" This made Ana Lucia laugh.

"An' what about You-Know-Who, baby?" She asked sullenly.

"Who the fuck am I kidding?" James answered. "She'll grill my ass for it. Roxie?"

"Kiddin' with **WHAT**, Cowboy?" Ana asked.

"Me not needing to inform your mother why her little girl won't be able to go into work, nuch less walk…" he said, trying not to laugh.

"An' what about the fugitive?" Ana asked.

"What about her?"

"She ain' gonna wonder where you were all night long?" Ana asked again.

"Fuck…I'll tell her I was with Roxie…" Sawyer said instantly.

"An' when she figures out our kid was _here_?" Ana asked, wanting to hear more of Sawyer's plans.

"I don't care…I had to see Roxie…end of story, if she dosen't like it…tough luck." Sawyer said firmly.

"Okay."

"I'm here muchacha…damnit…don't wanna go inside…" came Sawyer's sudden statement.

"Could always stall…" she suggested carefully.

"Meet me at that cafe on the corner? …Like 5 minutes from the house?" Sawyer asked, his voice full of hope.

"When…?" Ana asked.

"Now."

"I'll be there…"

"I'll see you there." Sawyer said, smiling into the phone. "Hurry…"

"'ve gotta get **dressed** first, James…" Ana reminded him.

"Well hurry your ass up!" he laughed. "I'll pick you up instead. Stay where you are. I'll help you change."

"What, you lookin' for _another_ romp 'fore tonight?" Ana teased.

"Maybe…"

"Sawyer…" Ana warned.

"What? I wanna see you…touch you…"

"We'll never **get** to the café if you come inside…" Ana said slowly.

"So?" Sawyer asked, not caring about the café anymore.

"So why'd you ask me to the café?" Ana answered, trying _not_ to laugh.

"To see you…but then a better idea popped into my head." He said, a smirk on his face as he left the lot of Kate's apartment building.


End file.
